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There’s this thread on Reddit asking people what their favorite poverty meals are that they still enjoy eating today, no matter their current financial situation. So, when we stumbled upon it and read the answers, an idea dawned - these are not just some cheap lunch ideas; they are, in fact, easy to prepare, delicious foods that anyone can enjoy on the go without having to break their piggy bank. That’s why we gathered some of the best simple meal ideas from the thread, put them all in one place, and now share them with you. You can also try to recreate these cheap meal ideas whenever you’re in need.

While most of these recipes are not necessarily the healthiest, they are definitely the most comforting. Who would deny that cinnamon toast is just the warmest and tastiest snack to go with a cup of tea? Even better is that you don’t really have to put that much effort into making it!

Then there are rice-based meals, and surely there’s nobody who doesn’t like rice as it is so versatile and neutral-tasting. Truly, rice is the perfect outlet for your culinary creativity (especially if you’re on a budget and the choices aren’t that many). And that’s just to name a few - as you’re about to see, the budget meals people have listed aren’t boring or bland; on the contrary!

So, are you ready to check out frugal meal ideas from people who actually make and enjoy them? If yes, scroll down below, and once you are there, be sure to give your favorite recipes an upvote. If you have your own go-to simple meal recipes, be sure to write them down in the comments section. Who knows, you might give someone a meal idea that might become their favorite!

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

"Grew up poor, but my mom sure knew how to stretch a dollar. She would make steak fingers out of the cheapest cuts she could find. Tenderize, fry them up make gravy out of the drippings and serve with mashed potatoes. The whole meal probably cost less than 5 bucks in 70s dollars, and I'm telling you nothing tasted better. I made it for my kids when they were growing up and they still ask me for it sometimes. She would be 94 today.

Love you miss you mom."

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Sparkle
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The secret ingredient that makes any dish taste like a 5-star meal is love.

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#2

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Boiled potatoes and butter don't care if I am rich or poor that is my go to snack."

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#3

"Bread and butter is my favourite food in the whole world.

When I'm fancy, it's fresh sourdough and boujee butter."

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#4

"I’m a chef. I own a restaurant. I’ve eaten some of the finest foods on this planet. Very few things taste better than box Mac and cheese with cut up hot dogs."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As a Chef anything made by anyone else is good - retired Michelin Chef here x

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#5

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Fried egg with rice and beans, I was a missionary in Brazil for a few years and when I would eat at peoples homes they would apologize for that being the only thing they could afford. I could not convince them that it was one of my favorite meals."

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#6

"Peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Containers of both last forever. Last year, we lost power for 13 days in the rural area I was living in and lost all food. I lived off those sandwiches on rye bread for those two weeks and bottled water. Never got sick of them at all lol. I lost 12 pounds."

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#7

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Grilled cheese sandwich. Grilled cheese can be cheap or gourmet. If your making a grilled cheese at home it isn’t going to cost much."

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#8

"I had a PB&J recently and felt like a fool! Why did I stop eating these when I became an adult? Society lead me to believe this was the way. It is not! Been having PB&J a couple nights a week since. I refuse to let societies unenlightened views dictate my dinner choices! PB&J is a top tier dish for any occasion."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not a fan of PBj but gotta thumbs up for the 'unenlightened adults' bit!!!!! There are so many 'kiddie' foods I or people I know like (I still know a dude who survives on chicken nuggets) but it really is crazy how people expect your palate to "be mature" lol. What even is that?

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#9

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Tomato Sandwich with lite mayo and salt and pepper."

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#10

Commenter No. 1 wrote:
"Butter noodles."

SpazzJazz88 replied:
"Yes!!! And if you were lucky to have parm and garlic, then you're eating good."

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#11

"I’m Mexican. For us, it’s usually quesadillas without meat, rice and black beans as the sides."

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#12

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Piece of bread with butter, cinnamon, and sugar broiled in oven until just toasted. Still my favorite late night snack."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you are sick to your stomach, break it up and cover it with warm milk. It is gentle and comforting. Milk Toast. My Mom used to make it for me.

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#13

"Pancakes. Cheap to make and filling, can be eaten with whatever is in your fridge."

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#14

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Breakfast food. Eggs and potatoes for life."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish I could eat eggs! I've cooked too many from when I wanted to be chef. Now I can only have them in bread, pastries, clafoutis, etc.

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#15

"Pizza in Italy was originally only eaten by poor people who couldn’t afford proper meals, and so they used the basics of flour, tomatoes and other cheap items to come up with pizza. However instead of the meat and other things on modern pizza, the basic vegetables make the pizza just as tasty and I always enjoy eating it."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I like any kind of vegetarian pizza any time over one with meat, even if I'm not vegetarian at the moment.

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#16

"Pasta aglio olio. Warm some garlic in olive oil, add a sprinkle of red pepper and grate some parm on top. Love this simple, cheap classic."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Another is cooked spaghetti noodles still warm tossed with a raw egg(which cooks the egg,)then add grated romano/parmesan cheese & cooked bacon that has been chopped up. Season to taste.YUM!!! nice piece of crusted bread,& a toss salad. So good!!

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#17

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Honestly? Spaghettios. They remind me of my grandpa. miss you grandpa joe."

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Marilyn Russell
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes I’ll get some Chef Boyardee. I’m 53 and can make authentic pasta carbonara.

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#18

"Cuban style rice and black beans. Sure, I'll toss in some avocado now I can afford to, but the base dish stays the same."

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#19

"I'm South African and for me that's samp and beans (samp is corn). Both are soaked overnight and then pressure cooked with spices and some cheap meat, served with melted butter, salt and black pepper.

It doesn't sound like much but I swear, this is an S-Tier comfort food that I'd pick over high priced sushi any day."

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#20

vontoque wrote:
"Sleep."

cowboyfromhell324 replied:
"This is my favorite stress and depression food."

fantastic_feb replied:
"Love it so much I have it every night."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If sleep were a food, I'd be morbidly obese. I sleep at every opportunity. Even if I only have a short break, or during a car ride. I sleep so much, my husband once thought I had narcolepsy. And I have fallen asleep while driving. The car was totaled, but neither I nor anyone else was injured. I can't fight sleep and deep down I don't want to. Now replace every time I said sleep with eat or something food related. Lol.

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#21

"Migas! Corn tortillas fried crispy, scramble in some eggs, add a fistful of cheese. Serve with ketchup, hot sauce, or both.

Also cook a cup of rice, put in a pan with a can of black beans, cook it all together with salsa.

I'm gainfully employed and make good money and I still eat both of these at least three to four times a week."

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#22

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Fried eggs with fried potatoes."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My ex would fry up potato slices and make them a sandwich with a little mayo, salt and pepper. Some of the best sandwiches I've had.

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#23

"Potato soup. We usually had it with veggies that were starting to go bad, and if we had any, we’d toss bacon in there. My mom makes it pretty well, but my late great-grandfather made the best."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My kids called it garbage stew..but they ask for now when they come home.

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#24

"Hot dogs in baked beans."

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#25

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Grits with salt and butter."

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#26

"Ham and beans, butter beans, Cajun red beans and rice. All cheap to make and make a ton so they can feed my family twice for less than $5-$10."

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#27

"Stew. There could be anything in there but it's still delicious."

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Marilyn Russell
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So true - thanks for reminding me! I’ll make some this week. And I make really good fluffy dumplings!

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#28

"English muffin pizza. A jar of pasta sauce, English muffins, mozzarella and toppings of your choice. Fresh produce is dirt cheap. The pasta sauce is the most expensive part, and if you make it, and the English muffins at home, each mini pizza is like 30 cents."

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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My Dad would use the cheap little biscuits, instead of English muffins, when a bunch of my friends came over. Put anything on it so long as you eat it.

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#29

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "One of my life long favourites is fried macaroni with butter and breadcrumbs. I always loved when my grandma made that. One day I told her so and she laughed. "We only eat that when we need to go to town for groceries"."

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#30

"In Ireland (specifically Dublin) we have a dish called coddle. Its a salty white stew from the days of the poor tenements. It's made with leftover sausages, bacon, potatoes and variable other veggies and grain such as barley. It is an ugly dish to look at but it is so tasty, wholesome and filling."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

...which answers the question from the Irish thread "Do you Dubliners actually eat this or is it a tourist scam?"

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#31

"Corned beef hash. A cheap, simple and hearty meal that takes me back to childhood. Twas one of my nan’s staple dishes."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I still make this! Chuck everything in the slow cooker and you have a hot, tasty, filling dinner when you get home. Make a big cheese scone ( 15 mins ), put it in the dinner bowl, hash on top, so good.

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#32

slejeivw wrote:
"Ramen."

thebangzats replied:
"I'll one-up that with Indomie specifically. If you haven't heard of it, you're missing out.

It was so popular in Nigeria it practically replaced the world "noodle" (despite Indomie being an Indonesian product, 11,688 km away).

I brought it to an international summer camp in Finland where all the delegates from other countries pretty much lapped up the serving tray like dogs."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love love love Indomie noodles. So does my fussy English husband. He's a whimp and I'm only 23% Indonesian so I leave out the hot sauce 🥵

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#33

"So many. I love poverty meals.

Spaghetti with thick sauce.

Beans and rice.

Shepherds pie.

Stew, beef stew or bigos (polish hunting stew I 100% recommend)

Chicken noodle soup."

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robman1ok1 Hernandez
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You're pretty much spot on except when was the last time you made shepherds pie? If you make it right it's not cheap.

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#34

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Chili cheese dip, ate it all the time as a kid. Cream cheese, chili, and cheese. Super simple and cheap."

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#35

"Those blocks of cheese, also known as government cheese to some. Me and my great grandad used to cut it into slices and then eat it. I loved it, and if I can find the block of cheese, I'll still eat it!"

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The closest I've found as an adult is Land O Lakes American cheese from the deli. We also called it government cheese.

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#36

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Baked beans on toast with grated cheese."

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#37

"Egg drop soup:

1 quart chicken stock

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp corn starch

1 inch grated ginger

whisk in 2 eggs

green onions sprinkled."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thank you for the recipe! It is one of my favorite things for takeout but didnt know how to make it myself! Ive tried buying packet mixes that are supposed to make it at home and they never taste good.

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#38

"Mexi-Mac:

Cook a pound of ground beef with a packet of taco seasoning. Make a box of Kraft Mac n' Cheese. Mix together.

Also, that's your salt quota for the week."

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Marilyn Russell
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Interesting… Probably would have liked it as a kid though. Liked tacos and like Kraft dinner.

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#39

"There's a south indian dish called Kanji, which is pretty much just rice put in water and cooked for a really long time. Sort of like rice porridge. Then you put different food items and curries inside for flavor. I still make it all the time, especially when I'm sick."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My m-i-l makes Vietnamese congee. Rice and water, and she'll make it with fish. I'm not Vietnamese so did some research. It originated in South India and was exported by French to Vietnam.

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#40

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "My moms lentils and rice, smothered in caramelized onions."

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#41

"Bread and water can easily become tea and toast, read that in a fortune cookie once like 20 years ago when I was down n out, changed my life forever."

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#42

"Lentils! Great cheap protein and can be used so many ways. Lentils with curry and whatever cheap veg is around, usually spinach or cauliflower.

Also a baked plantain for a super cheap and filling snack."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love lentils but my family doesn't so I don't get to eat them much..

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#43

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Peanut butter and honey on toast."

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#44

"Maruchan instant ramen noodles drained and tossed in butter, hot sauces and that seasoning packet."

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#45

"Cream of mushroom soup & rice."

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#46

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "My mom's chilli makes like 10 meals from $11 dollars. It gives you crazy diarrhea if you aren't super regular digestively, but goddamnit I love it so much."

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#47

"Fried spam."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Slice it, egg wash, dip in bread crumbs, then fry it. GI Schnitzel. Damn I miss my Dad, he said he would make this whenever he went to the field.

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#48

"Tuna and Friends (pasta with canned tuna/peas/some kinda oil or butter)."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I make ine w mayo, pasta, canned tuna and peas. Lil bit of old bay and call it dinner

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#49

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Velveeta. Made a huge comeback in my house at the beginning of pandemic when we were scared, unemployed, and feeling sorry for ourselves."

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#50

"Rice, beans, homemade cornbread. Add a little salsa to the rice and a bit of finely chopped onion to the beans and that's luxury. And delicious! Real butter on the cornbread, of course, and a plus for putting on some homemade apple butter."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Going to make cheesey potatoes ( sour cream, potatoes O'Brien, cream of mushroom soup, & grated cheddar cheese)? For a different taste & turn it into a full meal add a large jar of black beans & corn salsa, instead of plain sour cream add a chip dip sour cream like Kroger's street corn chip dip, switch your grated cheddar cheese to a mexican cheese combo,& add 1-1 1/2 lbs of cooked ground meat. Bake 350 for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips to get every bit. The family LOVES this.

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#51

"Chipped beef on toast, its depression era, but it tastes sooooo good."

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#52

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Chicken paprikás. You can make a huge pot for like less than $20 and eat it for four days, and it’s sooooooo good."

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#53

"“Ghetto Mac” it’s where make some pasta and add in whatever you can find in the fridge or cabinets. Cheese, lunch meat, spam, spices, etc. No two meals were ever the same."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Leftover stew. Kids still love it. Oh we have this this and this. Mix it together. (Sometimes even the dog whines, but 95% of the tie...it's good)

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#54

"We used to eat squash and eggs growing up. Grew the squash and eggs are cheap enough, or trade with the neighbors. You just cut the squash into thin round and cook in a pan with a little oil until they're just soft. Scramble the eggs with the squash, add a bunch of pepper, some salt. Sometimes we ate it over noodles or rice."

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#55

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Smashed potatoes with cheese. Was once my favorite poverty meal and now some kind of soulfood lol."

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#56

"Sausage gravy served over toast."

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#57

"Can of sweet corn, can of Ro-Tel (Chile’s and tomatoes) mixed together."

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#58

"Rarebit, except the way my Grandma made it used canned tomato soup and instead of adding water/milk, she added a slice of Kraft cheese. Heated that until it was a sauce and then poured it over toast. My husband thinks it’s disgusting, but I still love it!"

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Hugh Cookson
Hugh Cookson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your Rarebit is completely different to mine (although mine is Welsh Rarebit - made by mixing grated cheese (Cheddar or similar) with English Mustard (about a tsp is enough for 4 slices of toast), a tbsp of plain flour a little beer to wet the mix. Set aside. Toast 4 slices of white bread on one side then spread the Rarebit mix on top of the untoasted side - pop under the grill and leave until browned on top. I usually sprinkle a little Worcestershire sauce on top for extra bite.

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#59

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Egg and veggie omelet. Hot. Delicious. Protein and other nutrients. On the cheap."

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#60

"Soup Beans. I love it so much. My wife is from eastern Kentucky, I'm from England. One of our favourite dishes.

Chicken and dumplings, too."

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Steve Robert
Steve Robert
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My Auntie Ester made the best chicken and dumplings. She's been gone for sixty years but I still remember how good it was! Still miss you Auntie!

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#61

"Steamed white rice, crack a raw egg in it while it's scorching hot, stir aggressively and dash with soy sauce. if I have some, some roasted seaweed in that shiz. Super cheap breakfast but oh man is it filling/delicious."

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#62

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Oven-baked potatoes with salt and margarine. Cheap ingredients found in almost every home and easy to make. Also, the starch in potatoes makes you feel full for pretty long."

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#63

"I still regularly eat my struggle nachos, tortilla chips with slices of American cheese on top and microwaved. Now that I can afford it I’ll throw taco meat on top every now and again but still very much enjoy just the chips and cheese."

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#64

"Literally just a plain slice of white bread right out of the bag."

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#65

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Oatmeal with banana and peanut butter."

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#66

"Dinosaur chicken nuggets.

I will be eating these until I am dead in the grave."

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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They have the best flavor. I'm 40 and still bite the heads and legs off first, or hide them behind broccoli trees. Yes, I have 2 masters degrees, hold a very high position at work, but I will still be 4 when I have dinosaur nuggets!

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#67

"Lentil stew

Boiled potatoes with salt and a couple of slices of herring

Cabbage soup and crackers

Tea and toast

Steamed rice with furikake."

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#68

"Ketchup and cheese sandwiches.

Bonus points if you use the big block of govt cheese.

Or a baked potato. When I was a poor adult, I could buy a big bag of potatoes and eat a couple baked potatoes a day and I was good. Well, not "good", but I wasn't hungry."

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#69

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "A gas station slushie mixed with gas station wine. Poor man’s daiquiri."

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Nicole Weymann
Nicole Weymann
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gas station wine is CHEAP? Huh. Hereabouts one gas station bottle costs about the same as three to five ALDI or LIDL bottles - and we can all agree that quality is not a factor here

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#70

"Dal. Aside from tumeric you can buy all the ingredients for less than $2 a pound."

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#71

"Not a meal (that’d be a cheese jaffle) but flatbread. 2 ingredients - self-raising flour and Greek yogurt - can’t go wrong. Can use as a pizza base, burger “bun”, in place of naan bread or just to eat with dips. Easy, cheap and versatile."

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Marilyn Russell
Marilyn Russell
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or if you want to make easy fluffy biscuits use self-raising flour and whipping cream.

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#72

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Rice milk and sugar. It was a treat when I was a little girl and is still a treat now!"

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Hugh Cookson
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rice pudding !! A good dollop of jam takes it to another level.

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#73

"Kraft Dinner with tuna."

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#74

"Yellow pea soup.

500g yellow peas. Soak over night

1 onion. Halve.

Boil together until peas start to fall apart.

Add salt, thyme and marjoram.

Enjoy with mustard.

About 1 buck will give you ten servings. And gas. But it's one of my all-time favorite meals."

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Rose the Cook
Rose the Cook
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Much improved by adding bacon bones which are very cheap. Also a cubed carrot and potato makes it really filling.

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#75

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Fried egg, baked beans and oven chips."

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#76

"Huevito con weenies. The first time my Hispanic husband made it for me I was super weirded out, but now it’s literally in my top 5 favorite meals.

The weenies HAVE to be the cheap ones (I like BarS). Tried it with expensive ones and it wasn’t the same..."

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#77

"Frozen Costco pizza. You can get 5 pizzas for $10. A whole pizza is enough to feed a person for a day."

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#78

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Canned refried beans + hot sauce."

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#79

"Rajma rice."

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#80

80 Frugal Meal Recipes As Shared In This Online Thread "Uštipke. It’s literally just water, flour, and salt."

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